The Push for Civilian Oversight of Complaints Against Oakland Police, 4/28/09: photos

by dave id
Tuesday Jun 23rd, 2009 1:30 PM

On April 28th, the Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee agreed -- with the Mayor's Task Force on Police Issues, PUEBLO, and the strong showing of community members who spoke at the meeting -- that it would be in Oakland's best interest to "civilianize" citizen complaints against the Oakland Police Department, that is that all such complaints should go to the Citizens' Police Review Board rather than allowing OPD internal affairs to continue controlling most of those investigations.

Despite this seeming victory, obstacles remain. City Administrator Dan Lindheim is doing all he can to prevent the civilianization plan from being implemented. PUEBLO and police accountability activists are requesting that concerned citizens attend the Public Safety Committee meeting today, June 23rd at Oakland City Hall in order to keep the pressure on for moving the plan forward. If the plan does not move forward today -- to be adopted as part of next year's city budget -- it is likely that the plan will be dead in the water for at least the next year. Another strong showing from the public is needed tonight!

Pictured above: Lieutenant Shannon, from OPD Internal Affairs, who opposed the proposal to civilianize citizen complaints against the Oakland police department and was granted an inordinate amount of time at the meeting to make his disingenuous arguments. Most of his arguments were centered around the Negotiated Settlement Agreement (NSA) that arose from the infamous Oakland Riders' case.

After long line of public speakers in favor of civilianization, and police generally against it, the committee goes on to discuss the proposal and announce their support for it, pending further work from parties involved. (Full audio: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/29/18591762.php)